How to Make a Heat Pump More Efficient in Winter

Are your heating costs rising every year? Gladiator Services’ team of qualified professionals can address any efficiency issue you might have, so call us today!

Whether or not you love winter, the one thing that unites people is the need for a safe, warm home when it's cold out. 

Our top heating and air conditioning company in Englewood Cliffs has compiled a list of helpful tips for how to make a heat pump more efficient in winter and keep your heating costs down. Read on for heating efficiency ideas and how to take care of your heat pump system.

Use Your Heat Pump Consistently During the Cold Season

You might think you’re saving energy if you turn your heating system way down while you’re out of the house and only turn it up when you are home. In reality, your heat pump expends much more energy when raising the temperature of a cold house than keeping it steady all day. 

That’s why experts recommend that you “set it and forget it” or keep your heat pump at one comfortable temperature all day. It prevents unnecessary strain on your unit, too.

Optimize Airflow in Your Home

Heat pumps don’t generate heat; they pull hot air in from the surrounding environment and disperse it evenly throughout the home. Even in the winter months, these pumps can pull warm air from the outside. However, to keep your home heated evenly, the air has to blow optimally. 

Aiming the air toward the open space farthest away from the unit will help maximize airflow in your space and keep it comfortable.

Don't Use Auto Mode 

When you are trying to figure out how to make a heat pump more efficient in winter, Auto mode can seem like a convenient setting. Unfortunately, this can lead to inefficient heating, as this setting alternates between heat and cool mode to maintain a consistent temperature. So, on an unseasonably warm day in the winter, Auto mode might inadvertently start using the air conditioner. 

Set your heat pump to “heat” in the winter and “cool” in the summer to avoid these inefficiencies.

Clean Your Filters

It’s helpful to check the status of the air filters in your unit regularly. They filter dirt, dust, and pet hair from the air in your home, so you can imagine how quickly these filters clog. 

Cleaning and replacing the filters monthly keeps your unit able to heat your home much more efficiently.

Never Cover Your System

Since your heat pump functions by pulling air from the surrounding area and dispersing it through your home, you need to uncover your system to work. Your unit is designed to be able to handle the cold weather outside, so you never need to cover it in frigid temperatures. In fact, covering it can cause mold and invite pest infestations. 

Keep your heat pump clear of all debris. If you happen to find your system covered in ice, leave it be; defrost mode will handle it. 

Use a Correct Thermostat Pairing

When you set your heat pump thermostat to the desired temperature, it will move air around the house to maintain it. There are a lot of options on the market for thermostats, so whether you use a programmable thermostat or a smart thermostat, pair them correctly with your unit. That way, the cool and heat modes turn on and off at the appropriate times.

Match the Summer Modes to Your Needs as They Arise

Besides mastering how to make a heat pump more efficient in winter, you can’t forget that this convenient heating and cooling unit keeps on working even through the summer. The three modes that are used most when it’s hot out are as follows:

• Fan mode: Moves the air around to provide some relief, but it doesn’t cool it. You don’t need to leave it on while you’re away.
• Dry mode: Makes the air feel more comfortable when it’s muggy and humid outside. 
• Cool mode: Keeps your home at a consistently comfortable temperature. 

Using these three modes only as you need them keeps your unit running efficiently all year long. 

Be Mindful of Temperature Settings at Night

When you are paying close attention to rising heating costs, it's natural to assume that using your heating system less during the day will lower your costs. However, with heat pumps, this is not the case. 

For example, let’s say that you turn your heat pump off overnight and then turn it on in the morning. By doing so, you run the risk of activating the emergency heat backup when your system tries to raise the temperature too quickly. This will waste energy and cancel out any savings you might have achieved overnight. 

If you want your system a little cooler overnight, raise the temperature a couple of degrees at a set time in the morning.

Schedule Regular Maintenance

When cared for correctly, a heat pump can keep you and your family comfortable in your home for many years. Cleaning your unit’s filters and replacing them is a good start. However, having a professional tune-up on your unit once a year is essential to keep it running at maximum efficiency when you need it most. 

Maintenance with a team like Gladiator Services will typically include professional cleaning for your heat pump as well to keep it running efficiently.

More Useful Info About Your Wielding Heat Pump Efficiently

Knowing how to make a heat pump more efficient in winter or summer is important. If you follow these simple tips, not only will you lower your energy costs, but you’ll increase the longevity of your unit. These tips should help you maximize the efficiency of your heat pump during the winter, but we are also here to handle your heat pump services year-round!

Whether you use a heat pump already or are looking to upgrade your current heating system, we can talk you through the best options. Call Gladiator Services at 201-419-6090 today to learn more!